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Shadow (WoW Talent Tree)  

See Priest Talent Builds

The Shadow Tree is the priest's primary damage tree. It contains talents which boost the personal damage of the priest as well as utility talents that give bonuses to the party and raid.

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Primary uses

Shadow is generally considered to be the best spec for leveling. With the increase in damage dealt, the reduction in damage taken while in shadow form and the mana return from spirit tap, a shadow priest can level without having to stop and drink. At level 70, shadow priests are one of the most important utility roles in a raid through the health and mana they return to their party and the increase in spell and shadow damage they bring to all spellcasters in the raid.

Tier 1

  • Spirit Tap (5 points) - Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit after killing a target that yields experience or honor. For the duration, your mana will regenerate at a 50% rate while casting. Lasts 15 seconds. An excellent leveling talent
  • Blackout (5 points) - Gives your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds. A must have for pvp.

Tier 2

(5 points required)

  • Shadow Affinity (3) - Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 25%. Essential for raiding.
  • Improved Shadow Word: Pain (2) - Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec. Makes SW:P even more efficient, what's not to like.
  • Shadow Focus (5) - Reduces your target's chance to resist your Shadow spells by 10%. With talent maxed, a shadow priest needs only 76 spell hit rating from gear.

Tier 3

(10 points required)

Tier 4

(15 points required)

  • Improved Fade (2) - Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 6 sec. The worst talent in the entire tree.
  • Shadow Reach (2) - Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20%.
  • Shadow Weaving (5) - Your Shadow damage spells have a 100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Shadow damage. This vulnerability increases the Shadow damage dealt to your target by 2% and lasts 15 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times. Warlocks will love you.

Tier 5

(20 points required)

  • Silence (1) - Requires 2 point(s) in Improved Psychic Scream. Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 seconds.
  • Vampiric Embrace (1) - Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 15% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 60 seconds.
  • Improved Vampiric Embrace (2) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. Increases the percentage healed by Vampiric Embrace by an additional 10%. Generally not required as it generates un-needed threat.
  • Focused Mind (3) - Reduces the mana cost of your Mind Blast, Mind Control and Mind Flay spells by 15%.

Tier 6

(25 points required)

  • Shadow Resilience (2) - Reduces the chance you'll be critically hit by all spells by 4%. Not very useful.
  • Darkness (5) - Increases your Shadow spell damage by 10%. A must have talent.

Tier 7

(30 points required)

  • Shadowform (1) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. Assume a Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 15% and reducing Physical damage done to you by 15%. However, you may not cast Holy spells while in this form. The defining talent of the tree.
  • Shadow Power (5) - Increases the critical strike chance of your Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death spells by 15%.

Tier 8

(35 points required)

  • Misery (5) - Your Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay and Vampiric Touch spells also cause the target to take an additional 5% spell damage. Spellcasters love this.

Tier 9

(40 points required)

  • Vampiric Touch (1) - Causes 650 Shadow damage over 15 seconds to your target and causes all party members to gain mana equal to 5% of any Shadow spell damage you deal. Everyone with a mana bar wants to be in your group because of this talent.

Typical Points Spent

The typical shadow priest raid build is 14/0/47. The variation comes in deciding where to spend the filler points as well as your current gear level. Here is an example:

  • 5/5 Spirit Tap OR Blackout
  • 3/3 Shadow Affinity
  • 2/2 Improved Shadow Word: Pain
  • 5/5 Shadow Focus
  • 4/5 Improved Mind Blast
  • 1/1 Mind Flay
  • 2/2 Shadow Reach
  • 4/5 Shadow Weaving
  • 1/1 Vampiric Embrace
  • 3/3 Focused Mind
  • 5/5 Darkness
  • 1/1 Shadowform
  • 5/5 Shadow Power
  • 5/5 Misery
  • 1/1 Vampiric Touch

This makes 47 points spent. The remaining 14 are spent in the Discipline Tree.

  • 5/5 Unbreakable Will
  • 2/2 Improved Power Word: Fortitude
  • 3 filler points (usually in Improved Power Word: Shield)
  • 1/1 Inner Focus
  • 3/3 Meditation

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This page last modified 2008-06-04 10:53:58.